Lohaghad – hiking day trip from pune
Lohaghad one of the many hill forts of Maharashtra state in India and a prefect day hike. Situated close to the hill station Lonavala and 52 km (32 mi) northwest of Pune, Lohagad rises to an elevation of 1,033 m (3,389 ft) above sea level.In monsoon the place is a green carpet and the cold breeze gives a soothing feeling.
Hike Details
People can hike all the way to the fort. Bhaja Caves is on the way to Lohagad, take a small diversion. This hike is a particular favourite of trekkers, especially in the monsoon season. It is a simple, very scenic and pleasant hike and the distance from Malavli and Lohagad can be covered in around two hours. The hiking route becomes slippery during the rainy season and is difficult to hike to the fort during this time. A variety of birds and insects can also be spotted in these hills.
What to see on Lohagad:
- Large Gates on the fort
- Walls of the fort which are still intact
- Beautiful structure of the fort
- You can also visit Bhaja and Karla caves on your back
- During the monsoons the clouds look spectacular from the fort
How to reach Lohagad
Though Malvali Village/Bhaja Caves: This is the route taken by all the trekking groups and the one which doesnt need the use of a personal vehicle. Go to lonavala by the local train. Take another local to go to Malvali village. From Malvali village station, it is a walk of around 2 kms to Bhaja village, the base village for Bhaja caves. An upward path (stairs) would take you to Bhaja caves, but if you follow the winding path (wide enough for a car) next to the stairs, it would take you to the village of Lohagadwadi, the base village for Lohagad fort. This route is around 5-7 kms long and would take around 2-2.5 hrs on foot.
Through the Mumbai-Pune Expressway: This is the fastest way to reach the base village. Go on the expressway from Pune. When the Sinhagad institute appears on the side of the highway, look out for an exit from the road. This is not very obvious though. Get off the exit, go under the highway and enter into a village